FARMINGTON – The passengers of tractor trailer truck and minivan that collided on Route 2 this morning have been identified by investigators.
According to Department of Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland, a passenger in a white minivan, Tess Meisel, 12, of Westport, CT, was killed when the vehicle was struck by a tractor trailer hauling sawdust. Meisel was sitting in the rear seat of the vehicle. Two other passengers, Samantha Hollender, 15, and Samantha Gaivao, 13, both from unspecified locations in Connecticut, were transported to the hospital with injuries described by police as non-life threatening.
Also transported was the operator of the minivan, Charles Powell, 23, of Colebrook, CT. The van, which has Connecticut tags, is reportedly owned by a Y camp in Colebrook. Investigators believe the van was traveling from Acadia National Park to another park in Vermont.
The operator of the tractor trailer was identified as Charles Willey, 53, of Dexter. The truck is owned by Linkletter Trucking out of Athens. Willey was trapped inside the cab of his truck and Farmington Fire Rescue personnel worked for several minutes to extricate him with power tools. Both Willey and Powell were also transported to FMH, with non-life threatening injuries.
State troopers, including the state’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit, and Farmington Police Department personnel are investigating the crash. A representative from the district attorney’s office was also at the site.
The Farmington Falls Road, near the intersection with Main Street, remains closed, as the investigation continues and crews work to remove a large amount of sawdust which poured onto the shoulder after the tractor trailer rolled over.
I am so sorry for the loss of a young life. My condolences to the family of Tess Meisel.
Prayers go out to the family
This tragic accident happened in front of my office.
Our fire and rescue units responded quickly and worked professionally.
My heart goes out to the families and children involved in this horrible event.
Thank you for the update Daily Bulldog.
So Sad! My thoughts and prayers are with all involved.
My condolences go out to the family of the deceased child andall the families involved. ALSO i WILL PRAY FOR THE TRUCK DRIVER AND ALL THE PEOPLE INVOLVED. Thanks to the police,firemen and ambulance people for doing a great job in handling this tragic accident.
Thoughts and Prayers go out to the family for their loss, so so sad that this happened.
Prayers to all involved, including the rescue workers who I saw working tirelessly all day at the site. http://www.westportnow.com/index.php?/v2_5/comments/34593/ is an article about the 12-year-old who passed away.
What happened to all of the oil and diesel fuel and the absorbent pads that the fire department put down at the sit of the accident and later was loaded on to a town dump truck ??? Was it separated somewhere at a nother site and disposed of properly ?? Or just hauled to the town dump ?? I find it hard to beleave that the amount was less that 5 gallons,knowing that the truck was on it’s side from 9:30 this morning until sometime after 3:00 this afternoon.My prayers go out to the family of the child who died and the others injured in this terrible accident.
Tragic accident, condolences to all involved.
Thinking of all involved in this awful accident. Condolences to the family of 12 yr old.
My prayers to everybody who was involved. So sad….
How fast was that truck going ?
I am soo sorry for this young life to be gone. Truck drivers NEED to realize how big they really are when driving at fast speeds. Prayers are with all involved and their families.
The deceased is from the town my kids go to school in. Here is a link to local reporting:
http://www.westportnow.com/index.php?/v2_5/comments/34593/
She is my daughters age and this is vary heartbreaking. So very sorry. Thank you for the local link, Heidi.
Very sad.. Now can we start enforcing the traffic laws?
This is a terrible tragedy. I have a son the same age, and I can’t even imagine how horrible her family must feel. My thoughts and prayers go out to all involved.
So sad, I can’t imagine having to deal with this tragedy, on either side of it. My codolences to the young girls family and friends and my sympathy to the truck driver. This could have been any one of my friends, family or myself as I use this road on a daily basis. Tragic.
So sad to hear about the accident, Our prayers and condolences to all the families involved. I must admit that the tractor trailer trucks MUST slow down a bit especially around conors… I see it every day…please slow down eveyone and no one will get hurt.
My condolences, Meisel Family, this is so sad and I am so sorry for your loss. In NO way am I saying this tractor trailer was at fault OR going to fast, I was not there to witness, but I did note that OTHER trucks that day were going dangerously fast through farmington, especially DOWNTOWN. The congestion downtown hides portions of the cross-walks, making it perilous for any walker stepping out to see if anythings coming. More caution from these big rigs is crucial in our little town.
Tess – rest in peace. You left us too soon.
The assumption that the truck was speeding or at least taking the corner at an imprudent speed may or may not be true. The fact does remain that trucks involved in hauling wood and wood chips do speed on a very regular basis. it’s all well and good to say that speed laws should be enforced, but that assumes a significant increase in the number of police. You can bet truckers know where the duty cop is when they crank it up.
The solution that will never be – pay log and chip truck drivers by the hour, not by the load, and the incentive to speed goes away.
I am so sad for your loss I can’t even imagine…We don’t know the family however we share a connection in that we live in Westport and our two girls are presently attending the same camp. Please accept our deepest sympathies.